Activated Chemical Process for Enhancing Material Properties of Dielectric Films

a technology of activated chemical process and dielectric material, which is applied in the direction of fluid pressure measurement by mechanical elements, instruments, measurement devices, etc., can solve the problems of loss of dielectric propertites of layers, changes in chemical composition of dielectric materials, and damage to the mechanical strength of layers

Active Publication Date: 2008-08-21
VERSUM MATERIALS US LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Benefits of technology

[0013]During BEOL processing of ICs, dielectric material layers on semiconductor substrates are exposed to processes for metalization such as, for example, plasmas and both gas and liquid phase chemistries used to pattern and define features in a dual damascene process. A loss of the layers' dielectric propertites and changes in the chemical composition of the dielectric material are typically experienced as a result of the damaged cause by the harsh chemistry and conditions associated with such processes. Such damage may even impact the mechanical strength of the layer. In response to this problem, the present invention is directed to a method for restoring a dielectric constant of a layer of a silicon-containing dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and at least one surface, wherein the first dielectric constant of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material has increased to a second dielectric constant, the method comprising the steps of: contacting the at least one surface of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material with a silicon-containing fluid; and exposing the at least one surface of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material to an energy source selected from the group consisting of: UV radiation, heat, and an electron beam, wherein the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material has a third dielectric constant that is lower than the second dielectric constant after exposing the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material to the energy source.
[0014]In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for restoring a dielectric constant of a layer of a silicon-containing dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and at least one surface, wherein the first dielectric constant of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material has increased to a second di...

Problems solved by technology

A loss of the layers' dielectric propertites and changes in the chemical composition of the dielectric material are typically experienced as a result...

Method used

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  • Activated Chemical Process for Enhancing Material Properties of Dielectric Films

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

UV Curing (Gas Phase)

[0063]A PDEMS™ 2.5 ATRP film (CVD dielectric film prepared from DEMS™ and porogen) was damaged in etch, ash, and wet clean processes to remove carbon from the film causing the dielectric constant of the film to rise from 2.57 (first dielectric constant) to 2.87 (second dielectric constant) (film thickness 2791 A, RI=1.385). The sample was taken into a first vacuum chamber at 400° C. and vacuum for 5 minutes. After cooling the wafer, the wafer was transferred to a second vacuum chamber at 45 C. The chamber was pressurized to 12 torr with diethoxymethylsilane (no carrier). The sample was allowed to equilibrate for 2-3 minutes with the chemical vapor to aid in the diffusion of the chemistry into the pore system. The wafer was then transferred to a third vacuum chamber at 300° C. equipped with a sweeping broad band UV source (Fusion I-600 Lamp with H+ bulb). The sample was exposed to the UV radiation for 1 minute. The sample was removed from the chamber. The dielect...

example 2

UV Curing (Liquid Phase)

[0064]10 wt % solution of heptamethyidisilazane in 2-hexanone was mixed in a polypropylene bottle. A PDEMS™ 2.5 ATRP film (CVD dielectric film prepared from DEMS™ and porogen) was damaged in etch, ash, and wet clean processes to remove carbon from the film causing the dielectric constant of the film to rise from 2.53 (first dielectric constant) to 2.8 (second dielectric constant) (film thickness 3322 A, RI=1.338). A piece of this film was placed onto a spin coater. Approximately 3 mls of solution was placed on the film. The chemistry remained in contact with the film for 90 seconds before the restoration chemistry was removed via spin drying. The sample was moved to a vacuum chamber at 300 C equipped with a sweeping broad band UV source. The sample was exposed to 100% power UV light for 1 minute. After treatment the dielectric constant of the film was 2.46 (third dielectric constant) (film thickness 3215 A, RI=1.346). This example shows that the choice of che...

example 3

Plasma Processing

[0065]A PDEMS™ 2.5 ATRP film (CVD dielectric film prepared from DEMS™ and porogen) was damaged in etch, ash, and wet clean processes to remove carbon from the film causing the dielectric constant of the film to rise from 2.57 (first dielectric constant) to 2.87 (second dielectric constant) (film thickness 2791 A, RI=1.385). The sample was taken into a first vacuum chamber at 400° C. and vacuum for 5 minutes. After cooling the wafer, the wafer was transferred to a second vacuum chamber at 45° C. The chamber was pressurized to 15 torr with diethoxymethylsilane (no carrier). The sample was allowed to equilibrate for 2-3 minutes with the chemical vapor to aid in the diffusion of the chemistry into the pore system. The diethoxymethylsilane was pumped out of the chamber and a flow of 200 mg / min of diethoxymethylsilane was started. Once flow had stabilized, a plasma (75 watts) was struck for 10 seconds. At the completion of the plasma step the chamber was pumped down and t...

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Abstract

A method for restoring a dielectric constant of a layer of a silicon-containing dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and at least one surface, wherein the first dielectric constant of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material has increased to a second dielectric constant, the method comprising the steps of: contacting the at least one surface of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material with a silicon-containing fluid; and exposing the at least one surface of the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material to an energy source selected from the group consisting of: UV radiation, heat, and an electron beam, wherein the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material has a third dielectric constant that is lower than the second dielectric constant after exposing the layer of silicon-containing dielectric material to the energy source.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to earlier filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60 / 890,137, filed on Feb. 15, 2007, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a method for restoring and / or enhancing the material properties of a dielectric material. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for restoring hydrophobicity to the surfaces of low dielectric films which have been subjected to an etching or ashing treatment in such a way as to remove at least a portion of previously existing carbon containing moieties, resulting in a film having reduced hydrophobicity and increased dielectric constant. Such films are used as insulating materials in the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits (“ICs”).[0003]As semiconductor devices scale to lower technology nodes, the ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H01L21/31H01L21/00
CPCH01L21/02126H01L21/02203H01L21/3105H01L21/02274H01L21/02216H01L21/02282H01L21/324
Inventor WEIGEL, SCOTT JEFFREYO'NEILL, MARK LEONARDVRTIS, RAYMOND NICHOLASSINATORE, DINO
Owner VERSUM MATERIALS US LLC
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